U.S. intelligence, law enforcement candidates face Trump loyalty test
Source: Washington Post
Yesterday at 7:26 p.m. EST
Candidates for top national security positions in the Trump administration have faced questions that appear designed to determine whether they have embraced the president’s false claims about the outcome of the 2020 election and its aftermath, according to people familiar with cases of such screening.
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The questions asked of several current and former officials up for top intelligence and law enforcement posts revolved around two events that have become President Donald Trump’s litmus test to distinguish friend from foe: the result of the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to the people, who, like other interviewed for this report, spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.
These people said that two individuals, both former officials who were being considered for positions within the intelligence community, were asked to give “yes” or “no” responses to the questions: Was Jan. 6 “an inside job?” And was the 2020 presidential election “stolen?”
These individuals, who did not give the desired straight “yes” answer, were not selected. It is not clear whether there were other factors that contributed to the decision. The questions were posed in direct interviews conducted by personnel hiring for the new administration.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/02/08/trump-administration-job-candidates-loyalty-screening/
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